Dr. Ben Phillips brings 20 years of experience in higher education to UWLA. His experience in higher education is wide ranging, having worked at public and private institutions, large and small, R1 research institutions and community colleges. Much of his career has been focused on student success and using data to foster data informed decision making. Early on in his career, he worked with students who were in distress or who were experiencing mental health challenges. Those experiences heavily influenced him and led to his decision to pursue a master's degree in student affairs and later a Doctor of Education in higher education administration. His research focus is the effects of mental health challenges on student engagement.

In his free time, Ben enjoys hanging out with his wife and hiking, camping, and fly fishing.